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Luke 1:49For the one who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name.

Prayerful Reflection

O Holy One, Come~
You, who came
as the holy child of Bethlehem
and who descended to us,
you are the one who created all that is,
you are the one who sustains all life,
you are our beginning and our end.
Who are we that you, in your holiness,
in your greatness, your power, your might should care for us?
Yet you attend to each of one of us
as your precious child,
knowing us intimately and loving us wholly.
In a spirit of deep gratitude and awe,
open us to joyfully welcome
your presence and love into our hearts.
Amen.

Isaiah 61:8 For I the Sovereign love justice, I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Prayerful Reflection

O Lover of Justice, Come~
You promise that the wrong shall fail,
the right prevail,
with peace on earth and good will toward all.
Make us lovers of your good will and justice.
Move the intentions of our hearts
from revenge to rehabilitation,
from punishment to understanding,
from laws of retribution to your law of love.
Open us to your vision of justice
for a world where all are welcome,
all are treated with respect and love,
all have chances to create meaningful lives.
Compel us to work joyfully
for your peace and justice in this world.
Amen.

Isaiah 61:1b God has sent me to bind up the broken–hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

Prayerful Reflection

O Binder of the Broken-hearted, Come~
As you rose with healing in your wings,
bring your healing and wholeness to us today,
to our lives,
to our families,
to our neighborhoods,
to our country,
to our world.
Bind up and heal our heart-wounds,
that as we know and experience
your forgiveness and reconciliation,
we may willingly and joyfully offer
healing and love to others.
Amen.

O God of Peace, Come~Gather us tenderly
and hold us close,
filling us with your presence.
Let your newborn king bring
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
that we may be reconciled with you
and with each other.
Form us into your peace-makers,
teaching us to wait patiently
and work hopefully
until that time
when the whole world is filled with heaven’s peace.
We ask this through Christ,
our Savior and our peace,
Amen.

Mark 1:8I [John] baptized you with water; but the one who comes will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Prayerful Reflection

O Holy Baptizer, Come~
Claim us as your own.
Immerse us in your healing, cleansing spirit,
as you have promised through your baby boy
who came to make us new.
Create in us clean and pure hearts,
empty and open to your guiding word.
May our lives be
newly awash with your hope,
soaked with your peace,
saturated with your love,
and overflowing with your joy,
that we might baptize the world
with your presence.
Amen.

2 Peter 3:9 The Sovereign is not slow in fulfilling the promise . . .but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Prayerful Reflection

O Patient Redeemer, Come~
When we grow impatient with you
wanting your instant action,
your immediate reply,
when we grow impatient with others
wanting quick change, sudden understanding,
teach us to cultivate a spirit of forbearance.
You lovingly wait for us
through our misunderstandings, our missteps,
our hardheartedness and our stubbornness.
Give us the perseverance of your people,
who waited for the long-expected Jesus.
Fill us with your peace,
as we wait in joyful hope
for your coming again.
Amen.

Psalm 85:8 Let me hear what God the Sovereign will speak, for God will speak peace to God’s people.

Prayerful Reflection

O Peace Speaker, Come~
Into this world filled with clamor and noise,
jarring news and divisive exchanges,
send your heaven born prince of peace.
Remind us again and again
that it is peace you desire,
and peace we yearn for as well.
May your whisper of peace
be heard above the din,
and break through
the busyness and commotion of our day.
Grant that we would become
peace-givers, peace-makers,
peace-speakers and peace-seekers
in your name.
Amen.

Isaiah 40:11 God will feed the flock like a shepherd, gather the lambs in God’s arms,carry them in God’s bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Prayerful Reflection

O Gatherer of Lambs, Come~
There are times when we sow seeds of service
and reap only exhaustion,
when we seek to follow your will
and encounter only resistance at every turn.
We find ourselves losing our enthusiasm,
our vision, and even our faith.
In those times and always,
gather us up in your loving arms, hold us close,
and then lay us down to rest,
as gently as Mary laid her child in the manger.
Comfort us, and restore peace to our souls that,
strengthened and refreshed by your embrace,
we might once again serve you.
Amen.

Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; theuneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

Prayerful Reflection

O Lifter of Valleys, Come~
Raise up all those brought low,
those whose world is made weary,
those who know only sad and lowly plains.
Make us harbingers of hope
and purveyors of peace,
as we reach out
to those who are down-trodden.
Show us how to level the field for them,
encourage us to accompany them,
enable us to stand in solidarity with them,
that they may again know the song and sound
of gladness and peace in their lives.
Amen.

Isaiah 40:1-2 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to it that its warfare is ended, that its iniquity is pardoned...

Prayerful Reflection

O Tender Comforter, Come~
Fill us with your kindness and compassion.
End the wars, the arguments,
the struggles that we face
within ourselves, with others, with you.
Lead us to follow the example of Jesus,
sowing seeds of peace where there is conflict,
gentleness where there is hardness,
understanding where there is judgment.
Fill us with your tenderness
and your perfect peace,
that we may bring tidings
of comfort and joy to our world.
Amen.